You've hit on the most important issue facing successful companies today and that is attracting and retaining skilled workers. It is not only an issue in Mason County but in all of West Michigan and across the state.

Yea, I know where you're going with this one. One problem ... in this real estate economy no one is selling anything for a "large profit." The current owners/developers of the property have some benchmarks in the development agreement with the city by the end of the year. This one might get interesting.

Now the DUI stuff ... that's a pretty negative spin on a healthy activity, if true. I'm just about ready to go out on my evening bike ride down at the beach. Hope nobody thinks I lost my license to drunk driving.

The One in 21 leaders would probably ask each of us what we did this noon hour. What did we have for lunch? Did we get in exercise in the middle of our day? What's for dinner and is there an hour of exercise built into our evening with friends and family?

I would agree that SOS has not publicly called for a public taking of the Sappi site. But I would point out that there are not members of the group and residents in the neighborhoods that are seriously wanting that option explored. Former Muskegon Area First President Jim Edmonson last week in my post from Friday gave credibility to the debate.

The Benihana chain of Japanese steakhouses is where they prepare and cut your food at the table. We had a similar style restaurant in Muskegon in the 1980s down on the end of Ottawa Street. It seemed to have been popular until it burned downl The Harvey Street restaurant has similar promise.

Why what? These are companies with jobs that are looking for the right people in which to fill them. This is the second time Alcoa-Howmet has participated in such an on-the-ground effort. That had UofM engineering and MBA folks in here last year. Economic development agencies in Muskegon and Grand Haven are doing what they are suppose to be ... developing the economy any way possible.

Muskegon County is a relatively large county. There must be more than three "community leaders" in the county. Who else should be recognized as a community leader? I'd suggest David Sipka, superintendent of the Muskegon Intermediate School District and former Montague schools chief. Who would you suggest? Post some names below.

Do we really think it will be $50 million to clean it up? My reporting toward an environmental story that will post early next week will say we don't know all of what's there in the way of contamination. But it might not be as much as we fear.